Feed regulating device



May 26, 1936. G. sPlEs f 2,042,131

v FEED REKrUALTING DEVICE A Filed June 2, 1934 @MMI Patented May 26, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FEED REGULATING DEvIoE Georg Spiess, Leipzig, .Germany Application June z, 1934, serial No. 728,756

In Germany June 3, 1933 the feed of an adjusted pile to the sheet separating means, in which 'the foremost sheet of the pile, by closing a control nozzle or striking a' feeler, automatically starts or stops the ratchet gear eecting the feed of the pile, particularly for sheet separationby means of a suction roller, suction wheels, or the like.

The known suction nozzle control according to which the pile of sheets closes a suction nozzle disposed in its support suffers from the drawback that the separation of the sheets is interfered with by the adhesion of the sheets to their support. Mere feeler control is likewise unsatisfactory for the reason that it is quite a bothersome task to return the control device to operating position. These defects become particularly manifest when the sheets are separated by a suction roller or suction Wheels, and one directly after the other, and then transported, a method which is otherwise advantageous per se.

To overcome these troubles the invention providesthat a feeler projecting from below into the conveying pathbf the pile and held in control the suction conduit is so controlled -that it will temporarily connect the suction conduit with the outer air at each operation of the ratchet gear and thus bring about the disengagement of the feeler from the suction nozzle. In this way, highly sensitive regulation of the feed is insured and can be applied to both rhythmic and continuous sheet separation without any rhythm. In the latter case, it is only necessary temporarily to interrupt the connection between the nozzle and the suction pump at each cycle of operation of the ratchet gear causing the transport of the pile of sheets so as to allow the feeler to swing back when the series of sheets has to be fed forwardly (el. 271-38) i s the position of the feeler 'spring relative to the support of the pileof sheets, i. e., the distance for which the spring exceeds the support, in dependence upon the distance between thesuction roller v or wheels and the support for the pile ofsheets. By way of example, one form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in" which al1 parts not necessary for understanding l matic, of certain parts. of a modified f orm of this invention.

Referring tothe drawing, the single revolution shaft 2 disposed in the' feeder frame I carries a crank disc 3 v'which by means of the rod 4 causes oscillation of the feed arm l5 forming part of a ratchet gear and being loosely arranged on the shaft 6. The arm 5 carries at its end la pawl 8 disposed on a bolt 1, and on the bolt 1 there is also mounted a roll I8, which is rotatable on the bolt 9. The pawl 8'is drawn by the spring II against the teeth of a ratchet wheel I2 keyed to the shaft `6 in the frame I. The rotary motions of the ratchet wheel I2 caused by the pawl 8 are transmitted by a bevel gear I3 secured to the shaft 6, another bevel gear I4, a shaft l5 and additional gears, not shown, to a pile transport roller, not shown, of a round pile. The adjusted sheet pile I6 is advanced on the table I1 having an-extensionplate I8 inknown man- Aner by the conveyor belts I 9 passing over an idler roll 20. By this means the topmost sheet is moved into a position suitable for the separation of the sheet from the pile. VFor separatingv the sheet from the pile the suction Wheels 2|, which ,may be replaced by a suction roller, are

arranged on the shaft 22 disposed in the arms 24 secured to a shaft23 which carries also a stop arm 25 drawn by the spring 26 against a set screw 21 attached to the frame I. By adjusting the set screw 21 the distance 'of the suctiony wheels from the surface of the pile can thus be/ regulated. The suction wheels 2| are driven from the shaft 2 by means of the gear wheels 28, 29,

- 38, 3| and 3,2.

The device for automatically regulating the pile feed and interrupting it when the point of the adjusted pile hasA attained the position required for sheet separation comprises a feeler spring 33 whose free upper end extends between the front end of the extension plate I8 oi the,

table I1 and a sheet conveying or tape roller 34 2L amarsi ner overthe feed table ll. The free upper end lies in the path of the sheets, so that it will be struck bythe upper sheetof the pile in the course of conveyance and pressed back thereby. The

5 lower end of the feeler spring 33 is secured at 56 to a tube 31 attached by a stub shaft 54 to the frame I and connected by a conduit 38 with the suction side of anair pump (not shown). At its upper end, the tube 311s provided with a suction nozzle 39 opening towards the back of the feeler spring and being closed by the latter when it is pressed back by the point of the pile. To insure reliable closing the nozzle is preferably fitted with a rubber'disc 40 orthe like. From the v ytube l1 extends a branch 4I to a cylinder 42 in I which a piston 43 is displaceably disposed against the pressure of a spring 44. The piston rod 45 acts with its fr'ee end cna pawl 41 which is swingingly disposed by means of a fixed bolt 48 and controlled by a return spring 48. The tooth of the pawl 41 faces the ratchet toothing of a segment 45 screwed to one end of a cam plate sector 50 rotatably positioned on the shaft 5 between the ratchet wheel I2 and the frame wall I. Responding to the tension of a spring 5I,E the sector 50 abuts with its circumferential stop nose 52 against an extension of the bolt 1 serving as stop and cooperates in the motion of the feed arm 5 of the ratchet gear. At the other end of the cam plate sector 50 a ca`m surface 53 is provided for lifting the pawl I outv of engagement with. the

ratchet wheel I2 and preventing it from driving the wheel I2 when its roll III engages the lifting surface` 53. The lifting surface 53 is limited on one side by a rest which accommodates the roll III when the stop nose 52 of the cam plate sector 55. engages the bolt 1 of the feed arm 5 in respouse to the action of the spring 5I, as indicated in Fig. 1.

40 During the' working stroke of Athe feed varm 5 the latter lis followed by the cam plate sector 50 with the segment 49 owing tothe action of the spring 5I. The pawl roll III lies then in its* rest which is so deep that the tooth of the pawl 8 engages the toothing of the ratchet wheel I2 and thus starts the motion of the latter as well as of the entire sheet feeding gear. `This intermittent sheet feed is continued until the foremost or top sheet presses back thefeeler spring 33, so that l50 the nozzle 39 is closed and the pump, by means of the conduit 38, 21, 4I, causes a rarefaction of air in the cylinder 42, which brings about the displacement of the piston 43 towards the right,

i as indicated in Fig. 1, for pressing the pawl 41 by 5 5 means of the `piston rod 45 into the toothing of 65 wheels or suction roller is`carried out so that im'- mediately after the rear end of the aspirated sheet has passed the suction wheels the next sheet ,is aspirated and drawn off from the pile.

The suction control need be interrupted only for l 70 a short time at each operation cycleof the ratchet gear to'permitthefeelerspring to swing back from the `nozzle if pressure on the spring has ''a ceased owing to the removal of the sheets and the reduction of the pile. Therefore, at eachy '75 operation cycle ofthe ratchet gear a control valve, not shown'. or other suitable means driven from the shaft 2 interrupts theconnection between the nozzle and pump 'and establishes in@ vstead communication with the outer air.

, By means of the set screw 21 the distance of 5 the suction wheels 2| from the surface of the pile can be adjusted according to the nature. of the paper worked. It is advisable when changing the distance between the suction wheels and the surface of the'pile to vary also the'position 10 ofthe feeler' spring 33 relative to the surface of the pile so' that when the suction roller or wheels are only slightly removed from the surface of the pile, the projection of the point of the feeler y spring relative to the support of the pile will be 15 correspondingly reduced. It will be noted, from Fig. i, that the foremost sheet is lifted clear of the spring 33 before it is'fed forward by the` roll 2i.

Fig. 2 shows a device for automatically reguf 20 lating the position of the feeler springrelative to the support of the sheets in dependence upon the adjustment of the suction wheels relative to the surface or support of the sheets. The nozzle tube '31 is articulated to two parallel arms 55 25 which in' turn are articulated to an arm` 5B secured to the frame rod 54. 'I'he upper arm 55 is rigidly connected with an armv 51 whose free end is articulated by a link 55 to the carrying arm 24 of the suction wheels, so vthat when the spacing 3o of the suction wheels 2| relative to the 'support IB is altered by the setscrew 21, the parallel arms 55 will be swung down about theirhinge bolts on the arm 55, owingto the lever connection 58, 51,

and thus the nozzle-tube 31 with the feeler spring r35- 3.! is moved up or down'. I claim:

1, A device for regulating the feed of an adjusted pile to sheet separating means, in which the foremost sheet of the-pile, by striking a 40 feeler and closing a' nozzle, automatically starts y or stops the ratchet gear effecting the feed of the pile, particularly in sheet separation by meansl of suction rollers, suction wheels. or the like, and in which a feeler projecting `from below. into 45 the conveying path of the pile and held in control position is moved by the contact 'of the lsheet with a control suction nozzle forming part 'of the regulating device in such a way that, owing to the suction pressure of the nozzle, it will close 50 the suction conduit thereof and a snuiepiston provided' in the suction conduit and a ratchet pawl connected therewith -will carry out a motion which serves for only temporarily stopping the ratchet gear of the pile during,the\working 55 stroke, an air control member disposed in the suction conduit being controlled so that it will temporarily connect the suction conduit with' the outer airy at each operation cycle of the ratchet gear andy thus bring about the disengagement of the feeler from the suction nozzle.

, 2. A device according to claim' l, in which the position of the feeler relative tothe support o'f the pile isregulatable in dependence upon the distance of the suction-roller'pr Vwheels from the 65 pifle support.

3. In a feed regulating device, a crank disk, a

. ratchet wheel mounted for rotation, an arm oscillatably mounted `concentric to the ratchet wheel, a rod-connecting said disk and arm, to 70 lapping relation, a plate extending'forwardly 76,1

, ing a cam surface arranged to engage the roller and lift the pawl upon separation of said cam Y member and arm, a ratchet segment on said cam member, a pawl adapted to engage said ratchet segment and hold the cam member from movement under the influence of its spring, and means including a feeler engaged by the foremost sheet to effect movement of the last mentioned pawl into and out of engagement with the ratchet segment.

4. In a feed regulating device, a crank disk, a ratchet wheel mounted for rotation, an arm oscillatably mounted' concentric to: the ratchet wheel, a rod connecting said disk and arm to oscillate the arm as the disk rotates, a pawl carried bysaid arm to engage the ratchet wheel, an endless belt driven from said ratchet .wheel and adapted to support a series of sheets in overlapping relation,` a plate extending forwardly from the belt and over which said sheets are fed i by the movement of the belt, a-revolving suction drum underneath which `said sheets successively pass, means to move said pawl to a position of disengagement? from said ratchetwheel, means including a feeler engaged by the foremost sheet to effect action ofthe last mentioned means, means to support the suction drum for movement towards and from the plate, and means to hold the drum in adjusted position.

5. In a feed regulating device, a crank disk, a:

ratchet wheel mounted for rotation, an arm oscillatably mounted concentric to the ratchet wheel, a rod connecting said disk and arm to oscillate the arm as. the disk rotates, a pawl carried by said arm to engage the ratchet wheel,-

-an endless belt driven from said ratchet wheel and adapted to support a series of sheets in overlapping relation, a plate extending forwardly from the belt and over which said sheets arefed,

by the movement of the belt, a revolving suction drum underneath ,which said sheets successively pass, a cam member mounted concentrically of the ratchet wheel and having stop engagement with said arm upon movement of the cam member in the direction of forward -movement of the ratchet wheel, a spring normally holding thecam member in engagement with said'arm, a roller on the free end of said pawl and located in the plane of the cam member, said cam member having a cam surface arranged to engage the roller and lift the pawl upon separation o f said cam member and arm, a ratchet segment on said cam member, a pawl adapted to engage said ratchet segment and hold the cam member from movement under theinuence of its spring, means including a feeler engaged by the foremost sheet to eiect movement of the last menltioned'pawl into and out of engagement with the ratchet segment, means to support the suction drum for movement toward and from the plate,

and means to hold the drum in adjusted position.

6. In a feed regulating device, a crank disk, a ratchet wheel mounted for rotation, an arm oscillatably mounted concentric to the'ratchet wheel, a rod connecting said disk and arm to oscillate the arm as the disk rotates, a pawl carried by said arm to engage the ratchet wheel, an endless belt driven from said ratchet wheel and adapted to support a series of sheets in overlapping relation, a plate extending forwardly from the belt and over which said sheets are fed by the movement of the belt, a revolving suction drum underneath which said sheets successively pass, means to' move said pawl to a position of disengagement from said ratchet wheel, means including a feeler engaged by the foremost sheet to effect action of the last. mentioned means, meansto support the suction drum for .movement toward and from the plate, means to hold the drum in adjusted position, means to support said feeler for movement toward and from the forward edge of said plate, and a linkage connec'ting the feeler provided `means and the suction drum support to move the feeler provided means as the drum support is moved.

'7. In a feed` regulating device, a crank disk, a'

ratchet wheel mounted for rotation, an'arm oscillatably mounted-concentric to the ratchet wheel', a rod connecting said disk and arm to oscillate the armas the Vdisk rotates, a pawl carried by said arm to engagethe ratchet wheel, an endless belt driven from said ratchet wheel and adapted to support a series of sheets in overlapping relation, a plate extending forwardly from the belt and over which said sheetsare fed by the-move- -ment of the belt, a revolving suction drum underneath which said sheets successively pass, a`

.cam member mounted concentrically of the ratchet wheel and having stop engagement with said arm upon movement of the cam member in the direction of forward movement of the ratchet wheel, a spring normally holding the cam member in engagementwith said arm, a roller on the free end of said pawl and located in the plane of the cam member, said cam member having a cam surface arranged to engage the roller and lift the pawl'upon separatin of said cam member and arm, a ratchet seg-ment on said cam member, a pawl adapted to engage said ratchet segment and hold the cam member from movement underfthe influence of its spring, means including a feeler engaged by the foremost sheet to eiiect movement of the last mentioned pawl into and out of engagement` with the ratchet segment, means to support the suction drum for movement toward and from the plate, means to hold the drum in adjusted position, means to support said feeler for movement toward and from the forward edge of said plate, and a linkage connecting the feeler provided means and the suction drum support to move the feeler provided means as the drum support is moved.

e GEORG SPIEss. 

